lifelines

In case you haven't noticed, I've been in a bit of a blogging funk lately. The economy has me genuinely worried, not about us specifically (we're extraordinarily lucky that Stuart's job is secure - obviously, or we wouldn't have bought a new car), but about everyone else. Too many young people I know are receiving scary medical diagnoses. Daniel won't use the potty. Anya won't eat solid food. Wisconsin winters are interminable.

I just feel like I don't have anything new to say - except about knitting; I don't seem to have trouble posting on Mad Knitting, but that's because knitting is what's keeping me going right now. It's not just the act of knitting or the creativity involved. It's also a cornerstone of my social life at the moment. The friends I have in my knitting group welcome me and my kids with open arms, and so do the various local yarn shops where we meet. Even a certain store that - in my opinion - treated me unfairly once because I had Daniel with me now is as friendly and welcoming as any yarn shop could be to a regular customer who visits with her [relatively] well-behaved small children.

Another lifeline is the family across the street, whom we've gotten pretty close to over the last year or so. I'm happy to announce that they welcomed a baby girl to their family yesterday! We've heard so much sad and distressing news lately, it's good to have something to celebrate.